Barbara Exene Rowe ^1000,3536

Concord Monitor
Concord, New Hampshire
Saturday, June 1, 2013

Barbara Rowe Freese

Barbara Rowe Freese died peacefully surrounded by her family at Havenwood-Heritage Heights in Concord, Saturday, May 25, 2013, after a brief illness.

She was the daughter of Edwin and Inez (Horton) Rowe. Barbara attended public schools in Springfield, Vt., Charlestown, and Bradenton, Fla., graduating from Keene High School and then Keene State College with a bachelor of science degree in 1942. She taught in Hollis schools where she established the school's first home economics and hot lunch programs, and later taught home economics in Charlestown. Barbara also worked as a secretary at the Charlestown Woolen Mill, a teller at the Connecticut River National Bank, and was 'Welcome Wagon' hostess for 10 years in her area.

She was a member of the Charlestown Congregational Church/UCC, and their 'friendly circle,' the 'old mothers' club, and the 'women's club.' She was a longtime trustee of the Fort at Number Four and their ladies group, the 'barn browsers.' She was a member of the town Financial Committee and was treasurer of the medical building committee at the time of its construction. She often judged 4-H projects.

She enjoyed sewing, quilting, traveling, camping and painting. Barbara was a published writer working for the Keene Sentinel as a correspondent and feature writer. She wrote a self-guided tour entitled A Walkabout of Charlestown, and co-authored Garden Sass, a cookbook of local recipes. She wrote an ongoing column in the local periodical Our Town focusing on 'Personal Portraits' of interesting local citizens. At age 88 she wrote a family cookbook entitled Cookery.

Barbara was married to John Freese for more than 70 years. Her husband, John; son, Lindsay Freese and wife, Betsy Taylor; grandson, Jesse Freese and wife, Kelly Nykodym; two great-granddaughters, Colby and Zoe; and many nieces and nephews survive her.

Her sister, Josephine Whitcomb; and her brother, Howard Rowe, died earlier.

Services will be held Saturday, June 15, at 1 p.m. at Havenwood-Heritage Heights in Concord. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Fort at Number Four, P.O. Box 1336, Charlestown, 03603. The Bennett Funeral Home of Concord is in charge of the arrangements. Messages of condolences may be offered at bennettfuneral.com.

  Events

• She worked as a teacher.

• She had a residence in Concord, Merrimack County, New Hampshire.

Barbara married John Lindsay/Lamb Freese, son of Earl Percy Freese and Florence Edith Lamb, 18 July 1942 in Charlestown, Sullivan County, New Hampshire ¹⁰⁰⁰.^,3532 (John Lindsay/Lamb Freese was born 10 March 1919 in Whitefield, Coos County, New Hampshire ^1000,3457 and died 3 March 2014 in Concord, Merrimack County, New Hampshire.)